FMA Magazine 2021 - 2023

FMA Leadership Summit
The combination of academic excellence
and hands-on, practical application of
classroom learning defines the uniquely
successful Integrated Financial Leadership
Program (IFLP) at Auburn University’s
Harbert College of Business. Rooted in
the founding vision and belief that Auburn
students should be provided the tools,
training, and experiences necessary to
pursue highly challenging career paths
in the financial services industry, IFLP is
turning heads as Auburn finance graduates
who participate in this rigorous program
gain entry into some of the most elite career
paths in investment banking worldwide.
FMA’s flagship annual event is the FMA
Financial Leadership Summit, which
features guest panelists, educational breakout
sessions, and an opportunity for finance
alumni and program supporters to return to
the Plains in support of the Program.
The question-and-answer style forum
was moderated again by Harbert College
of Business alumnus Steven Aldridge,
Managing Director at Cantor Fitzgerald.
A favorite of the students, and FMA Board
Member, Steve has been a part of the
Summit since inception.
The 2021 Summit Panel Discussion featured
Elise L. Jordan, Executive Vice President
& Chief Financial Officer at FedEx
Express, Tavis McCourt, Institutional
Equity Strategist at Raymond James, and
30 FMA 2021-2023 MAGAZINE
Gizman Abbas, Principal at Direct Invest
Development.
The panel was not only experienced, but
also diverse in that expertise. Tavis was able
to add insight to current market drivers;
while Elise gave the students an inside
look at how these drivers are impacting
business and strategy at a Fortune 100
company. Gizman has experience across a
spectrum of industries and investments,
but his defining message was “Where you
are from never dictates where you will go.”
Students were able to take a lot of hard-won
experiential advice away with them.
2021’s Summit also recognized Regions
Bank during the luncheon, for its continued
support as FMA’s corporate sponsor.
Tracy Richard, Program director shares:
“When it comes to support for FMA from
our partners in the financial services
industry, no organization stands out more
prominently than Regions Bank. We’ve
enjoyed a special relationship with Regions
since our inception. When we were first
getting started, Regions Securities was
also growing their presence and trying to
establish an official internship program,
Regions worked with us to place some of
our top students. Ward Cheatham, Regions
EVP and an Auburn graduate, committed to
hiring Auburn finance talent as well.” That
dedicated support from Regions continues
to this day, with the bank recently
committing $50,000 to the Financial
Leadership Center, which opened in the fall
of 2022.
For the 2022 Summit, three executives from
separate business disciplines discussed
how green technology is impacting the
automotive industry, finding the balance
between risk and return, and why gold is
a critical component for every portfolio,
among other topics. Paul Jacobson, EVP
and CFO at General Motors, Jim Jeffries,
Chairman and Chief Investment Officer
for Wells Fargo Strategic Capital, and Drew
Mason, Managing Partner and Founder of
St. Joseph Partners, also shared a common
theme during a 90-minute panel session
during the fifth annual Summit – advice for
young professionals. Three takeaways: be
grateful to those who have helped you on
your journey, don’t be afraid of hard work,
and never take yourself too seriously.
A key highlight of the 2022 Summit – a
repeat panelist. Paul Jacobson, who helped
to kick off the inaugural Summit back
in 2017 as the CFO of Delta Air Lines,
returned as an honored guest, with insights
now gained by holding the coveted CFO
role for two Fortune 500 companies.
Paul helped transform Delta into one of
Fortune magazine’s Top 50 Most Admired
Companies for six consecutive years. He
was named the airline industry’s best
CFO eight times by Institutional Investor